Political Science
Varner Hall, Room 418
371 Varner Drive
Rochester,
MI
48309-4482
(location map)
(248) 370-2352
Model UN Conference
Oakland University Model United Nations Club and the Oakland University Political Science Department plan to host our Sixth Oakland University High School Model United Nations Conference on March 11-12th 2022. The event will held on Oakland's campus. Oakland University does have a mask mandate on campus, and all visitors to campus will be expected to follow COVID-related protocols. March 2022.
If you have questions about our conference, please contact us via e-mail or contact Professor Paul Kubicek at kubicek@oakland.edu.
Oakland University’s highest priority in providing exemplary academic, athletic and social programs for youth is protecting the health, safety and welfare of all participants. Please visit Oakland's youth protection site for detailed information.
Oakland University Model UN Club was founded in 2008. It is open to all OU students. Model UN is run both as a student organization and as a class, Political Science 3605. Each semester, we attend collegiate MUN conferences, typically the Lake Erie International Model UN (LEIMUN) in the fall and the North American Model United Nations (NAMUN) in Toronto in the winter, and sponsor events on campus to discuss and debate international issues.
OU students have won dozens of individual awards, and several team awards, including being named Best Delegation at LEIMUN (eight times) and at NAMUN (twice). In April 2017, OUMUN students won awards at the NYU MUN in New York, in October 2020 OU students won awards at the Model G20 Summit at American University in Washington, and in 2021 OU students won awards at McMUN (McGill University MUN Conference).
For 2021-2022, club officers are:
Sean Caldwell, PresidentOur faculty adviser is Professor Paul Kubicek (kubicek@oakland.edu).
Each country will have between two and four delegates. Schools should plan on only one delegate representing a given country or role in a committee.
Background guides will be available in early 2022 under the Research tab.
We expect each delegate to prepare for the conference. Delegates should be knowledgeable about their committee, the rules of procedure, the general stance of their country, and the issues being discussed. They should be aware of previous resolutions or recommendations germane to the topic before the committee, as well as current discussions of the issue at the United Nations and other international institutions. One of the goals of the conference is to replicate real-life debates, and preparation is essential for informed discussion.
We prepare background guides to assist in your preparation for the conference. These will be available in January 2022. Please familiarize yourself with these documents, but be advised that they should be only the start of your research.
The best source of information for research is to consult UN documents and debates, available through the United Nations main portal at www.un.org and through the individual pages of UN committees. News reports and scholarly articles can also be helpful. Some countries maintain web pages for their UN delegations and may also have ministries or departments with useful information.
The United Nations Association has a variety of resources that may be useful to both delegates and faculty advisers. These include tips on research as well as overviews of how committee sessions are typically structured. We have also found resources at Best Delegate to be helpful.
Registration for OUMUN will open in Fall 2021. Cost is $50 per delegate and includes dinner on Friday and lunch on Saturday
Schools wishing to register should first fill out our Registration Form to supply us with some necessary information. You may either send it to e-mail address (oaklanduniversitymun@gmail.com) or fax it to 248 370 4299. Once we receive your registration, we can send you an invoice for payment.
Payment can be made either by conventional check mailed to us at:
OU Model UN Conference
Department of Political Science
Anibal House
Rochester, MI 48309
You may also pay on-line with a credit card or bank transfer through the OU Marketplace system, which will go live in early 2022
Please also note that all high school students MUST turn in a waiver form to participate in OUMUN. The Waiver Form can be mailed in advance or returned at the time of check-in on the first day of the conference. In addition, delegates are expected to adhere to our Code of Conduct.
The schedule for OUMUN will be available in January 2022.
All delegates should familiarize themselves with the Rule of Procedure, which vary a bit from conference to conference. A few special provisions also apply to the Security Council. These special features are included in the background guide. It is imperative that delegates know the rules of procedure.
To assist you in preparation, we have prepared a quiz on OUMUN Rules. (We also have answers). These can be used as a primer to see how well you really know the rules. It is a good idea to print out and have the rules with you, but knowing at the least the basics in advance of the conference will serve you well.
Delegates should also know how to craft resolutions. Prior to their formal introduction, draft resolutions must be properly formatted and have the requisite number of signatories (see the rules for more on this). Formatting should follow this sample resolution. This list of phrases for preambulatory and operative clauses may also assist you. A good resolution will provide some background on the problem and clearly state what the UN and member states will do to address the issue.
OUMUN 2022 will offer individual delegate and team awards. Awards will be based upon demonstrated knowledge of the issues, portrayal of country, knowledge of and use of rules and procedures, and level of activity in debate and caucusing.